where are the virunga mountains located

The number of bird species in Virunga exceeds the total number in the U.S. and is more than three times the number in the U.K. Virungas recorded number of reptile species makes it the richest of the protected areas in Africa. [34], Five rangers were killed in August 2017 near Lake Edward in a militia attack. In addition to buffalo, the plains support several ungulates, including topi, Ugandan kob, waterbuck, warthog, and red river and giant forest hog. HOW TO GET THE MOST OUT OF AFRICA GEOGRAPHIC: We're the Africa Geographic editorial team a diverse set of writers, editors, designers and social media natives, all united by our passion for this addictive continent. Mikeno and Sabinio are the oldest of these, dating from the early part of the Pleistocene Epoch (the Pleistocene began about 2,600,000 years ago and lasted until about 11,700 years ago); their craters have disappeared, and erosion has imposed a jagged relief. app@africageographic.com Described by the Virunga park authorities as the Congos real treasure (rather than oil or metals), there are believed to be over 300 of these precious primates within the park. Explore Virunga national park, the gem of biodiversity in Congo [45] Poachers murder four mountain gorillas, making this the first time in 10 years that a mountain gorilla had been poached within Park borders. Many lesser cones flank the major volcanoes. The increased human population contributed to deforestation and poaching, and some natural animal migration patterns have been seriously disrupted. [14] The lava field of these two volcanoes has remained active, with notable eruptions occurring in 1912, 1938, 1948, the 1970s, and 2002. Okapi (Okapia johnstoni), blue duiker (Philantomba monticola), bay duiker (Cephalophus dorsalis), Weyns's duiker (C. weynsi), yellow-backed duiker (C. silvicultor), water chevrotain (Hyemoschus aquaticus), red river hog (Potamochoerus porcus), aardvark (Orycteropus afer) and bongo (Tragelaphus eurycerus) were recorded in the northern sector in 2008. [8][9], There have been plans to drill for oil in the Congo Basin since the 2000s. The Virunga Mountains is located in the East Africa with a chain of volcanoes that are within the borders of the countries Democratic Republic of the Congo, Uganda and Rwanda.The mountain range is said to be a part of the Albertine Rift located in the Great Rift Valley. There is a place in the heart of Africa where glacier-tipped mountains tumble down into steamy rain forests, where fiery lava lakes bubble, and savannas and grasslands stretch as far as the eye can see. Goma, the capital city of the province on the northern shores of Lake Kivu is 35 km (1-hour drive) away from Rumangabo, the park headquarters located in the southern sector of Kibumba. Virunga National Park is placed on the list of endangered World Heritage sites. Photo credit: Greg Homel/Natural Encounters Birding, Photo credit: Brad Clement/Spindrift Adventures, Virungas Rangers are awarded National Geographic Explorer of the Year, The mountain gorilla population is no longer critically endangered, All militia groups removed from Central Sector. The Virunga Mountains (also known as Mufumbiro[1]) are a chain of volcanoes in East Africa, along the northern border of Rwanda, the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), and Uganda. Adult African fish eagles have mostly brown bodies with a white head and yellow face and large, powerful, black wings. Every morning, rangers set out at the crack of dawn to track down and monitor their charges, and by the time guests have stirred and downed their first coffee, many families have already been located. Two major African rivers, the Nile and the. The past 14 years have been far from plain sailing, and the park has suffered its fair share of losses, particularly of the brave rangers dedicated to protecting the park. There are a couple of different lodges scattered throughout the park, and the choice of activity (gorilla treks, Lava treks up Nyiragongo, game drives and so on) will determine the best place to stay. [49] All of the topi (Damaliscus lunatus jimela) cluster to the south of Lake Edward in the Ishasha Flats region, and regularly cross the border into Uganda. [26] Park personnel are given paramilitary training and high-quality weaponry, and operate together with the military and state security services. [26] The Parks governance structure is strengthened, and newly appointed staff negotiate access to the gorilla sector despite it being controlled by rebels. It reopened in February 2019. national park, Democratic Republic of the Congo. A narrow corridor of 35km (1.93.1mi) width along the lake's western bank connects the northern and southern sectors of the national park. Mount Nyiragongo in Virunga National Park is one . [14][15][16][17] Indigenous people lost their traditional land rights in this process, and were evicted from the protected area. A conflict between rebel and army forces results in the untimely death of the silverback of the Rugendo family. editors@africageographic.com Both the highest and lowest recorded rainfalls in the republic occur within the parks boundaries: while annual rainfall at Lake Edward is some 20 inches (500 mm), the west slope of Mount Ruwenzori, less than 47 miles (75 km) away, receives more than 118 inches (3,000 mm). [40] Again in January 2021, armed men killed at least six rangers and wounded several others in an ambush in the national park. Nyiragongo has erupted over thirty times since the end of the 19th century. Oil exploration by an English company only added to threats facing the already beleaguered park. The Park is founded as Parc Albert, the first national park to be established on the African continent. Up to 40,000 people entered the park daily in search of firewood and food, and deforested huge areas. ceo@africageographic.com, Travel & conservation company, since 1991,

, The oldest national park in Africa, Virunga National Park covers nearly 8,000km. Click here to learn more about the work of the Virunga Alliance. [15], Virunga National Park's faunal species include 196 mammals, 706 bird species, 109 reptiles and 65 amphibians as of 2012. Both savanna and forest buffalo are found in the park and can be found roaming the Rwindi plains in the Parks Central Sector. The Virunga Mountains that mark the southern sector of the park consist of eight major volcanoes, most of which are dormant. Virunga National Park is a national park in the Albertine Rift Valley in the eastern part of the Democratic Republic of the Congo. In the wake of serious security issues, including the murder of park rangers and the kidnapping of tourists, park management announced in June 2018 that the park would be closed to tourists until at least the end of the year. Throw in nocturnal displays of volcanic ambivalence, and the Virunga experience is far beyond the average escape from the humdrum of city life it is an exhilarating embrace of everything that makes Africa truly wild. Its northern sector encompasses part of the Semliki River basin, as well as savanna and montane forest of the Albertine Rift. The great blue turaco is the largest member of the turaco family. [2] It is comparable in size to Haiti or the state of . Omissions? Geography of Rwanda - Wikipedia The mountain range is a branch of the Albertine Rift Mountains, which border the western branch of the East African Rift. Let us know if you have suggestions to improve this article (requires login). Fortunately, stalwart sightseers can rest assured that the volcanos moods are carefully monitored lest it decides to let loose its fury of molten lava. The endangered eastern lowland gorilla, also known as the Grauers gorilla, is a sub-species of the eastern gorilla that resides in the lowland tropical rainforests of eastern Congo. 2003). The park is also home to a diverse array of fauna and flora, including over 200 mammal species and a third of the worlds remaining mountain gorillas. Our editors will review what youve submitted and determine whether to revise the article. Virunga is the only site on earth to have three types of great apes the mountain gorilla, eastern lowland gorilla, and eastern chimpanzee. On any given day, its shores abound with hippos, elephants, crocodiles, and chimpanzees. March to mid May and September to November are the main rainy seasons. However, extraordinary doesnt even begin to cover it. Most visitors opt to rotate through the different options. Virunga National Park is one of the five UNESCO protected areas that fall under the jurisdiction of the ICCN. Shoebills can be found in the swamps and marshes of Virungas Central Sector near Lake Edward, the Ishasha River, and the Rwindi River. It is founded primarily to protect the mountain gorillas living in the forests of the Virunga Massif. Hippo numbers increase to over 2000 for the first time in 20 years. The female, with a wingspan of up to 8 feet (2.4 meters), is larger than the male. In 2007, the mass killing of the Rugendo family of gorillas catapulted the parks plight onto the world stage, and the global attention spurned increased funding and conservation measures. It spans across the three countries; via the North West Rwanda covering Volcanoes National Park, south western Uganda encompassing Mgahinga Gorilla National Park and eastern Congo forming part of Virunga National Park. It includes the Rwindi plains and the Ishasha River valley, and is contiguous with Ugandas Queen Elizabeth National Park to the east. The protected area was extended in 1929 by Virunga National Park, which encompassed the Virunga Mountains, parts of the Rutshuru Territory, and the plains south of Lake Edward. Virunga National Park is a national park in the Albertine Rift Valley in the eastern part of the Democratic Republic of the Congo.It was created in 1925. (800,000 hectares) an area roughly three times the size of Luxembourg. This article was most recently revised and updated by, https://www.britannica.com/place/Virunga-National-Park, UNESCO World Heritage Centre - Virunga National Park, Democratic Republic of the Congo (Kinshasa). To mark Congolese independence from colonialism, Parc Albert is renamed Virunga National Park. This articles lists and explains more about the . In contrast to the relatively sedate gorilla trekking, chimp habituation more often than not involves an adrenaline-filled race through the forest to keep up with our arboreal relatives. Hippo numbers increase to over 2000 for the first time in 20 years. The parks southern tip rests on the northern shore of Lake Kivu, a short distance from the town of Goma to the east. The connection between man and gorilla can be further explored at the Senkwekwe Centre, the only mountain gorilla orphanage in the world. Over the past 20 years, Virunga has seen many periods of conflict, often beginning in or around the Park. [25], Land laws were reformed in the 1960s after Belgian Congo became independent as the Republic of the Congo, and the land declared property of the state, much to the disadvantage of local people. Of its eight major volcanic peaks, the highest is Karisimbi, at 14,787 feet (4,507 metres). [2], The northern sector of Virunga National Park is contiguous with Uganda's Semuliki park, the Rwenzori Mountains National Park, and the central sector with Queen Elizabeth National Park. The mountain gorillas have increased from fewer than 70 to over 300 in ten years and hippos from 300 to over 2,000, while elephant and lion sightings are now a fairly regular occurrence.

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